Feels Kinda Lonely
by mysticminou
Summary: A re-write of the scene in YGO R where Yami and Anzu are re-united for the first time. Explores Yami's inner turmoil.


I own nothing. Re-write of the scenes in YGO R 1 and 2.

 **XXX**

"So I'll make you an offer…"

Yami frowned. What _offer_ could he possibly have that would be worth his while? As if sensing the Duel King's thoughts, Yako continued.

"If you can beat me…I'll let you see Anzu Mazaki."

The shock on Yami's face was almost comical. "What?" He asked in disbelief. After he had gone through all those duels? Yako was just going to give him Anzu back?

Yako frowned. "But if I win…I want your Egyptian God cards."

Yami's hand twitched. A small part of him almost threw his deck holder to the older man. Take the damn cards, Yami thought. However, his rational side shook him back. He needed the God cards if he was to fulfill his destiny.

"All right. I'll take you on!"

Yami followed Yako and his butler to the theatre to begin their duel. As Yami removed his jacket, his adrenalin causing his body to heat, the duelist could think of nothing but his Anzu.

 _'_ _I'll defeat his wicked avatar deck…and I'll rescue Anzu!'_

 **XXX**

The duel was _grueling._ Yami was nearly bowed over from the mental stress of the duel. His hand gripped his knee firmly to keep himself standing. "I'm not going to fall on my knees before your evil god…"

It sounded more like he was reassuring himself than rebutting Yako's comments about him being a sore loser. "I have to beat you…and save Anzu…" It was a chant that was quickly becoming a prayer. He could see her smiling at him, her oceanic eyes sparkling in encouragement. _'You can do it, Yami!'_

He never really thought much about Anzu's participation in his duels. But what if…He always spoke of friendship…What if he needed her in order to win? She had always been there from the very beginning. She was always being used against him.

 _'_ _Anzu…'_

"I refuse to lose!" He declared. He needed Anzu. He drew a card as a new battle strategy came into his mind.

 **XXX**

The duel was interrupted when Yako's twin brother was revealed. _'He has a twin…?'_ Something about this whole situation was reminding Yami of those 'stories' that Yugi's mother watched during the day.

Bad subplot or no, Yami was thankful for the interruption.

"As for the results…Yugi, I'll let you see them too." On the theatre screen, Yako moved to the side so as to allow for Yami to see the person strapped to the bed behind him.

"What!? Wh…what is this…?! Anzu!" Yami lurched forward only to be cruelly reminded that the girl wasn't actually there. She was on the top floor of the building strapped to some metal bed with various wiring running from it and her.

Yako approached the bed and Anzu. His hands sensually stroking her sleeping face. "Behold…the former Anzu Mazaki!" He grinned at Yami. "Thanks to the tremendous mystic energy emitted by the Wicked Dreadroot…her body and soul have been separated…" His hand moved lower the rest on her shoulder. His smirk grew as he saw the pure rage in Yami's eyes.

"You filth! Keep your hands off Anzu!" Yami screamed, his voice deepening another octave. He had nearly killed other men for less! When he got his hands on Yako…

"Anzu! Hey! Answer me! What's wrong?!" He begged of the girl. Please…just open your eyes…

"It's no use. She's already a soulless shell, just a living mass of meat. A vessel for the next soul…" The older man glared at Yami. Suddenly, the wires weren't just wires. They were IVs. They were keeping her body alive because she was…

"A soulless…shell…?" She was…gone? He would never see her again? All of the fight left his body. Anzu…His Anzu…

"Anzu…" Suddenly Yako's gloating fell on deaf ears. What was the point? She was gone. He had failed. He had failed _her_.

He…gave up.

He could hear Gekko talking, but what was the point? Yami approached the man and grabbed his jacket collar. He had to…he needed to…

Save Anzu…

He slumped. Gekko admitted that his brother was going about seeing Pegasus wrong and Yami released him. What could he do to him anyway? Anzu was _gone._ He could feel the arms of darkness wrapping around his soul. The tentacles threatened to pull him under once more. Why shouldn't he give into the darkness? He had failed Yugi. He had failed _her._

"Yugi…I said I'd let you see Anzu if you won."

The cloud dispersed for a moment. He was no longer drowning under the temptation. He held his breath. He didn't even _allow_ himself to hope. His hand clenched the darkness like he was greeting an old friend. As soon as Gekko deceived him again, he would gather the wicked shadows around him once more.

"Right now her spirit is trapped in the center of this building, in the duel ring server," Gekko explained.

"What?!" Yami almost dropped the cloak of darkness in his shock. That meant…

"Put her card in your duel disk, and you'll see…"

The Soul Prison he had been given earlier…Yami removed the card from his deck holder and gazed down at it. "Anzu…" With a tentative hand, he placed the card into his duel disk.

In a flash of pink light, she was suddenly _there_. Blinking her eyes, she glazed down at him from where she was momentarily suspended in air.

"Anzu?!"

"Yugi!"

He _ran_ for her.

Only to pass right through her.

With their backs to each other, Anzu took that moment to show her disbelief at the unexpected act. Yami's breathing practically stopped. To openly show such affection…

He couldn't touch her…

They slowly turned back to face each other. Yami's eyes wide, fearful that he would blink and she was be gone again. "Yugi…you came to save me, didn't you? Thanks!" She was cheerful as always. Like she didn't know…didn't know that her body was upstairs only being kept alive by IV fluids. That at any moment, Yako could cut a line and she would be _dead._

"Anzu…"

She was so precious. She was a China doll and at any moment she could shatter into millions of pieces. And even he would be unable to piece her together.

Gekko quietly said to Yami, "I believe she was watching everything through the duel disk…"

He spared the man a glance before his raw emotions got the better of him. "Hang on! I'll save you, I swear it…!" He had to. The darkness swirled within his heart once more. The need for revenge. The need to claim. The need to kill, kill, kill…!

"Hey! Why are you acting all freaked out? You're a man, aren't you? Get it together!" She winked at him and attempted to pat his shoulder. Only for her hand to pass right through him.

"Oh…" Apparently, she had forgotten their failed hug mere seconds ago. She brought her hand to her chest as if she were nursing a wound. "We're so…so close…" She choked out. "And yet…"

Yami couldn't bring himself to look up at her. He kept his head hung down. "We can't touch," she continued. "It feels kinda lonely."

Gekko excused himself so that the two could be alone. Yami waited until the theatre entrance closed behind him before he spoke to Anzu again. "I will get you back," he promised the girl again. His crimson eyes locked on hers.

Her lips trembled as she fought back her immediate response to go to him again. "This is worse than any torture…" she admitted, her voice warbling as she held her tears in. The two had never been physical before and after the events of the day, the primal need to hold and be held was so strong it hurt them both. At least, Yami felt the pains. Anzu was unable to feel anything besides the cold loneliness.

He thought back to when the fake profit had drugged her all those years ago. The weight of her in his arms…That feeling of being her protector. He focused on that. He focused on the warmth he had felt from her slender body. It was almost enough to keep the darkness at bay for the moment. He branded it into his mind.

"When I get you back," he began. "There are some…words I must say."

Anzu nodded. "Yeah. Same here." She wiped away one of the tears that had dared to fall.

 **XXX**

 **Fin.**


End file.
